Chuck vs the Junior Operative
by rachel-rage
Summary: Team Bartowski gets a new member, with a particular connection to Sarah. Hopefully I'll fit in some action, some C S, and a little comedy too.
1. Chapter 1

Apparently, when I try to write a story that's not 98% about Sarah, I fail epically. So we're gonna try that.

I don't own Chuck or Barnes and Noble, but Amy Taylor is all mine. Enjoy, and reviews are ALWAYS! welcome.

Thanks as usual to my trusty beta-boy, Redfield.

* * *

The sweet smell of new books was in the dusty air. Eighteen year old Amy Taylor walked leisurely down the aisles of the Burbank Barnes and Noble. Her freshman year at Stanford would begin in just a few short weeks, and she needed to fulfill her booklist. She wore her usual uniform of dark jeans, a violet t-shirt, and running sneakers. Her amber hair twisted in her ponytail, catching the light and leaving a path through the dust motes in the air.

After walking past a lanky man with curly brown hair and a C++ book and his gorgeous blonde girlfriend, Amy ran into a tall, burly gentleman with a stone jaw but kind blue eyes, who helped her reach for a volume on a tall shelf. The two men and one woman, along with any outside observer, would say she hardly knew these three, and her portrayal of a grateful student was perfect, but she took careful note of their minute movements.

Amy was just perusing the listed book for her Psychology lecture, aimlessly reading the introduction and contemplating buying a coffee, when the lights blinked out. Screams rose up from the depths of the stores, most likely from immature children. The loudspeaker crackled on.

"Attention, Barnes and Noble employees and customers. This is a warning- in just a few short moments, this store will be the victim of a merciless attack. If you leave now, you will be spared. Please, have a nice day." The voice that made the announcement over the silent store was deep, but smooth, like velvet. Amy recognized it immediately. It took almost a full thirty seconds before panic ensued. The customers and employees mixed as they sped from the store, but Amy Taylor didn't run.

She dropped into a crouch, leaving her backpack hidden on a shelf. She was moving, silently and catlike along the aisle towards the center of the store when she heard the distinct sound of a safety being released right around the corner. She moved slightly faster. Muttering reached her ears, filled with frustration and anxiety.

"Well, what do I do with this? I wish I'd stayed in the car!" Amy had one moment of puzzlement, and then a small smirk graced her features. She rounded the corner and stood up straight, to see the same lanky, brown haired man fumbling with a gun. Her eyes widened- the safety was off. With just one movement of a finger, he could blow himself to bits. She rushed up to him and before he could even move, disarmed him, put the safety back on, and put the gun into her waistband in one fluid movement. She jumped back out of his arm's reach and quickly issued him a command.

"Chuck, if you want to live, please follow me. If you have comm tech with Casey, tell him to meet us at the main door. Quickly, please." Amy's teenage voice sounded strange giving orders to someone so much older than her, but she saw instant trust in his eyes.

"How do you -? My watch-? What? …Okay." His features shifted from scared, to confused, to acceptance. He spoke into his watch hurriedly.

"Casey, meet me at the front doors, I have a plan. Just meet me, okay!? Lead the way."

Amy grabbed his hand and quickly pulled him along. She slid around corners and through aisles like an oil slick, while Chuck bumbled along next to her. If it hadn't been for her quick reflexes- not to mention searing looks- he'd have knocked over his fair share of dusty volumes. They finally reached the front door, where the same large man was waiting.

Casey immediately leveled his gun at Amy, who ducked, and Chuck waved Casey off.

"She knows us, I don't know how or why, but I think she knows what's going on here."

Even under the penetrating stare that John Casey had perfected, Amy didn't flounder.

"I'll explain it, I promise. Right now, we need to get Sarah and go before-"

At that exact second, a call for Chuck rang out, followed by a gunshot and a terrible scream. Chuck's eyes widened and he started for the origin of the piercing shriek, but Casey grabbed his arm.

"No, Chuck. She's fine, I'm sure." Casey looked at Amy quickly, communicating that she had better have a damn good reason that Casey had left his partner to go get Chuck.

"Listen, I promise I will explain it. Here's the plan. I know this store like the back of my hand, and I'm going to go get Sarah. You need to either take cover here or go get the car ready. The "attack" is just a rouse; you will not be losing innocent lives if you leave now. I'm going to get Sarah, please be ready because I'm afraid she'll need medical attention." At that, she took off, running in the same free-form manner that Chuck knew Bryce used to. She leapt over tables, threw herself through openings in guard rails, and landed in choreographed rolls. She looked over her shoulder just once, to see that Casey and Chuck were staring at her openmouthed before Casey grabbed Chuck's shoulder and started to pull him towards the door. Satisfied, she turned around and stumbled to a halt.

Sarah Walker was lying on the floor behind a comfy armchair, clutching at her calf. Her hands were stained with blood. Her eyes, which had been shut tight against the pain, snapped open, and she scrambled to get into a defensive position.

"No! It's okay, I'm a friend. You're hurt. Keep your hands on the wound and I swear I'll get you out, ok?" Hesitation reined in Sarah's cobalt eyes.

With a massive effort, Sarah spit out, "Prove it." Amy hesitated but then suddenly, it came to her.

"I'm here for the toga party." She didn't even wait for Sarah to nod. She pulled her up from the floor and hooked one arm around her shoulders.

"Can you put any pressure on it?" Sarah touched softly to the floor, and although her muscles locked up in pain, she nodded. Together, they ran the twisted three-legged race to the doors. Thankfully, they didn't run into any enemy operatives, and when they got out the front entrance, she ran instinctively to the royal blue Crown Vic.

Casey helped move Sarah into the backseat with Chuck, and Amy, before anyone could react, leapt into the front seat next to Casey. He only looked at her incredulously for a second before a moan from Sarah and a growl from Chuck prompted him to rev the engine and peel out onto the road. He sped for the nearest highway and gunned it down the nearly empty road. The three coherent people in the car breathed silent sighs of relief that the roads were conspicuously empty of L.A traffic. Amy kept her eyes up front to avoid questions, Casey kept stealing glances at the miniature companion in the front seat, and Chuck had eyes only for Sarah. She was bathed in sweat with streaks of blood, and she grabbed Chuck's hand so hard her knuckles were white and he was sure to have bruises.

Casey grabbed Sarah over his shoulders when they finally made it to the hospital. The four of them barged into the emergency room, Casey grunting, Amy looking around furtively to check the scene, and Chuck screaming for help for Sarah.

* * *

After the initial hustle, bustle, and anxiety that came with Sarah's entrance to the hospital, it was determined that she would be fine. Chuck had nearly collapsed with the relief of it, and Casey had even run his hands through his hair and nodded. They had both gone to sit in the waiting room because the doctors said Sarah's room needed to be absolutely empty so she could rest. The only bump on that path was when Casey had asked why the hell Amy was in that particular Barnes and Noble at that particular time. She had responded by simply saying she was in the area. Amy, finally alone, sat on the floor outside Sarah's room.

She refused to sleep. All night, she sat up, her eyes burning, her mind wheeling faster every second. 'I revealed myself to them…Casey is going to KILL me…what am I going to do?' At around five in the morning, after a few snatches of closed eyes but nothing restful, Amy heard a quiet cough from inside Sarah's room. Having been through a few hospital stays herself, she leapt to her feet and tiptoed into the room to pour Sarah some water. She had just placed the water silently on the side table when she heard Sarah's pillows rustle.

"Chuck?" Amy blinked.

"No, I'll go get him for you." Amy turned to go, but Sarah's voice stopped her again.

"Wait," she muttered, still groggy from the pain meds, "Who are you?" Amy turned slowly to see Sarah brushing the sleep from her eyes.

"I think I should answer those types of questions for your whole team. I'll just go get Chuck for you."

"No, I need answers. Just sit down and tell me and then you can go get Chuck."

"Um…okay." It was at times like these, when Amy was incredibly nervous, that she sounded most like a teenager. "I told Casey I was in that Barnes and Noble because I was in the area. What I didn't tell him was…I'm in the area because," Amy swallowed nervously and looked away from the blonde agent. Sarah wrinkled her brow in puzzlement. This girl, this teenager, had pulled her out of a building with a gunshot wound, without betraying a hint of fear. And now, at simply speaking, she looked about ready to be sick. "Because I'm being assigned to your team."

Sarah's jaw dropped in shock. Amy looked down and started to explain. "I'm…well, I was, what's called a junior operative. We were part of the,"

"The Underage Agents program?"

"Yes. I'm trained currently in hand to hand combat, stealth and escape tactics, and information retrieval. But I just turned eighteen, and that makes me a fully operational agent. They want me trained in knife tech, weapons tech, and InfiltrationandInducement ofEnemy Personnel."  
"They want you trained in seduction? At eighteen?"

"Yes."

"But…why send you here? Why send you to the most successful team of the joint security branches of the government?"

"Well…they gave me this letter to read to you so I wouldn't have to tell you myself." Amy opened up a slip of paper that she pulled from her back pocket. "To: Amy Taylor. RE: Sarah Walker. Agent Taylor, you have, at the time of the writing of this letter, turned eighteen years old and become a legal citizen of the United States of America. As such, you are now a fully operational agent. This letter is to inform you of your first assignment. As you know from your test scores at the Farm, you are one of the most promising agents the agency has seen in years. When taking this into account, the agency wants your first assignment to be with someone who had equal promise and also a similar," Amy stopped, blinked, and cleared her throat, "family background. As such, you've been assigned to work with Agent Sarah Walker and her team, whose information is enclosed in the dossiers attached. Agent Sarah Walker will be your," Amy paused again and looked up. "Mentor."

* * *

Should I continue?


	2. Chapter 2

Okay, I guess I have some clearing up to do- this takes place a few weeks after the finale. Chuck has been given full agent status, and he and Sarah have been in a real relationship for the past few weeks. Casey is aware, but TPTB are not.

Still don't own Chuck. Still love reviews!

* * *

Amy took the steps out of the hospital at a brisk walk. After dropping her bomb on Agent Walker, Amy wanted to sprint out. What she hadn't told Agent Walker- or anyone else from her entire stint in CIA School- was that Agent Walker was something of an idol of hers. Every spring, the Farm's one day of lightheartedness was the record-setting field day. Agent Walker's numbers were still up from when she was just in training. Amy had read up on her and aspired to be as much of a rock star in the agency. All of this made it extremely awkward for her to now be joining her team.

Amy flipped out her phone as the vibration of a text message buzzed through her leg.

"Mission briefing rescheduled based on Walker's condition- 0500 today, Orange Orange in Burbank. –Director". Amy pursed her lips. Agent Walker would have to crutch her way back to what Amy now knew was the base of operations for her new team in time for a five o'clock briefing. Amy's apartment was halfway between Burbank and Stanford. Because of her special status, she'd been given permission to live off-campus her freshman year. She lived with another new agent, who would become her partner if they both made it past their first missions out of the Farm.

Amy spent the next few hours filled with worry. She would now have to face the entire team along with the feared General Beckman at the same time. At quarter to five, as she tore through the L.A streets in her jet black, 2009 Audi A5 Coupe (her only indulgence with the junior operative salary she'd been getting for years), she hummed nervously to the garbage music playing on the radio. When she swung into a parking spot and saw Agent Walker's prized Porsche, Chuck's Herder, and the Colonel's classic Crown Vic, her heart nearly stopped with anticipating.

The little bell over the OO's doors chimed her entrance. Colonel Casey was behind the register. Amy could only assume Agent Walker and Agent Bartowski were downstairs already.

"Colonel, I didn't get to introduce myself last night, or this morning. I'm CIA Agent Amy Taylor."

"Great, it's Barnes and Noble to the rescue." Casey said, barely sparing her a glance. "Until I know in what capacity you'll be here, you'll need to be blindfolded for the briefing. I assume you're the 'special guest' General Beckman told me about?"

"That's probably right." Amy walked behind the counter and submitted to the black bag that Casey tossed over her head. She heard the whoosh of the freezer door opening and the typical tech-y noise of an eye scan, and then was pushed into a space with metal floors. Casey led her down a set of stairs and then, when she was standing poker-straight behind a table, uncovered her eyes.

Amy's first sight was General Diane Beckman, arching her eyebrow from a flat screen plasma mounted on the wall. She snapped to a straighter pose immediately. What she noticed next was the back of Agent Walker's head, her blonde hair shining in the fluorescent light, with Chuck sitting at the opposite side of the table.

"Ah, Agent Taylor, you've seen fit to join us." Chuck's head whipped around at her. It was clear that Agent Walker had not informed her team of why Amy was there.

"Yes, General."

"Care to tell Operation Bartowski your mission?" Amy bit her lip nervously. She wanted nothing more than to sit, receive orders, and carry out her missions. She didn't want to interrupt this team's chemistry. It was almost as if Agent Walker could sense Amy's hesitation from behind her, because that's when she spoke.

"General, Agent Taylor disclosed her mission to me at an earlier time. I'll share the mission details with my team_." _

_"_Fine. Agent Taylor, be here tomorrow at 0900 for an individual briefing." Amy looked up from her beat up sneakers.

"Yes, General." At that, the general's screen blinked out, leaving an extremely confused Chuck and Casey, a silent Agent Walker, and a terrified Amy in her wake.

"Alright, Walker, spill it." Agent Walker turned her chair around to face the table. Chuck reached out and took her hand, and Casey sat in the chair nearest him. Not sure what to do, Amy just stood there.

"Agent Taylor is a newly minted full agent, fresh from the Underage Agents program."

"Wait, Sarah," Chuck asked, "what's the Underage Agents program?" Amy found it only appropriate to answer that one.

"We are a select group of individuals ranging in age from 13-18, trained and sent on missions that require a minor's participation."

"Oh."

Sarah continued informing her team. "As we are an extremely successful team, Agent Taylor has been sent to act as my…trainee, for lack of a better word, and to act as a member of our team."

Casey and Chuck's jaws dropped. And then Casey started laughing.

"Your, your trainee," he guffawed, "you're going to be training someone! Oh, boy, this is priceless!"

Chuck just looked shocked. But then, of course, he did what made Sarah fall in love with him and Amy immediately look to him as a friend. He got up, walked over, and offered his hand.

"Well, since you'll probably save my life a million times in the near future, welcome to the team. I'm Chuck, but since you're CIA, you probably already know that. And my shirt size, favorite TV show, favorite food, color…" Amy had to laugh.

"Nice to meet you, Chuck. And just for my reference, your favorite food is ravioli, right?" Chuck looked stricken, and Amy laughed again. "I'm just kidding. I'm Amy Taylor."

They both laughed together and shook hands as Casey walked up.

"Hmph. Another CIA skirt around here. Perfect. What's the brown-haired Barbie's name again?" Amy had always struggled with being thin-skinned. Especially at the Farm, insults had always left her angry and frustrated. But Amy had read Casey's dossier. She knew that he used witty insults to get under people's skin, and rarely meant true ill will. So she stuck out her hand brazenly and didn't take his comment to heart.

"Colonel Casey, it's a privilege." He grunted once, and then grudgingly put out his hand. Amy, Chuck, and Casey stood together, and one by one, their heads turned to Sarah. Chuck, especially, had a resigned look on his face. When it became clear that Sarah was not about to offer an introduction, Chuck stepped up.

"Amy, why don't we go get your biometrics submitted to the eye scanner? So we can skip the whole hostage routine next time." He held out an arm, Amy nodded and slowly let her eyes drift away from Sarah's back, and together, they took the stairs up. Once the door shut securely behind them, Casey turned to Sarah.

"Nice, Walker. Real nice." He sneered in her direction and started for the armory.

"What, Casey?"

"Oh, I don't know, Walker. The kid is eighteen years old, probably thinks you're a freaking rock star from her time at the Farm, probably _extremely_ nervous to be here working with you, and you can't spare her a hello?"  
"Casey, she's here for me to mentor her, not to be best friends." She shrugged and turned away.

"Are you seriously that scared of screwing her up? You can't mentor her if you refuse to talk to her," he muttered, just loudly enough for Sarah to hear.

Meanwhile, in the Orange Orange's freezer, Chuck was using his tech skills to get Amy into the computer.

"I know she seems cold, but she's just scared." Amy looked up at Chuck, his comment seemingly out of nowhere. "Sarah doesn't see herself clearly…her self worth is in the tubes. But just keep trying. She warms up to people eventually. Trust me, I'm living proof."

Amy hadn't had to say one word, and yet she felt light years better, just listening to Chuck give advice. Together, they proceeded down into the basement. Casey reminded Chuck that they had another two hours of work to do before they could punch out, and after Chuck confirmed plans with Sarah for dinner at Ellie's that night, the two men left for the Buy More, leaving Amy sitting awkwardly at the missions table. She opened her mouth to speak just as Sarah turned in her direction, but Sarah started to talk first.

"General Beckman sent a file while you were upstairs. Your cover has changed- you're no longer enrolled at Stanford. Instead, you're taking a year off from your studies to get work experience. In addition, you'll be assuming the cover of my younger sister."


	3. Chapter 3

A/N: Thanks for all the great reviews, guys!I really appreciate the feedback. So sorry for the long wait, but hopefully the length of the chapter sort of makes up for it. I had a hard time with Sarah's character and a surprisingly hard time writing the dinner with Ellie. Hopefully it turned out alright. Let me know!

* * *

For two hours, Amy and Sarah solidified their new cover. Every little fact and detail was considered. Everything that Amy- privately- thought was insignificant turned out to be extremely important, and this cover wasn't even for a mission. Amy had to learn her new address, because her Stanford apartment had already been given to another agent, her new phone number, and all her contact information by heart in just under ten minutes. They had to go over favorites, family histories, and little stories and details that would make the cover believable, like how they'd turned themselves into lobsters using baby oil instead of sunscreen.

And for most of the two hours, Agent Sarah Walker was like a robot to Amy. After awhile, she found herself warming up to the younger woman, but only minutely. It wasn't that Sarah didn't like the younger agent, not at all. In fact, as they worked, Sarah observed her new charge, found her pleasant, and almost like a combination of her, Casey's, and Chuck's best features. She was witty, although Sarah tried her damndest not to laugh at any of her jokes, she was very kind, making mention of Sarah's sterling record and amazing accomplishments at the academy, and very efficient at her work. She also clearly idolized Sarah. In most cases, Sarah would be made to feel uncomfortable by being viewed as so perfect, but oddly enough, Amy did not bother her. Instead of blind adoration, Amy held a professional respect for the work Sarah did, and although Amy was probably more proud of Sarah's work than Sarah was herself, it was appreciated. Were they to meet in different circumstances, Sarah could see herself being pleased to work with Amy Taylor. But Sarah was scared.

She had never had such a responsibility before- aside from protecting the nation's most important intelligence asset. This young woman was at one of the most pivotal points of her life and Sarah was supposed to have a big part in shaping her as an agent and a person. And at this point, to be quite honest, Sarah didn't feel she was good enough at either of those to be any kind of teacher. Once a promising agent, she had let herself become hopelessly compromised and didn't even care anymore, and as a person…well, her list of sins would put the devil himself to shame.

So, she tried not to let the new agent in too much. The last thing Sarah needed was to add another screw up to her long list.

As for Amy, she tirelessly plugged on as her efforts to impress and befriend Sarah went either unnoticed or ignored. After almost the entire two hours of work, she thought she saw Sarah laugh, once, at one of her quips, but it must have been a trick of her imagination.

So the two hours ticked by, and finally, Sarah stood.

"Well, you have about an hour to find your new place. I'm introducing you to Chuck's family tonight- the sooner we get you assimilated into your cover, the better. Ellie will like you, I think. As long as we can get her past the fact that she's only meeting you now after two years, I think we'll be okay."

"What's the story for that, by the way?" Amy asked.

"Well," Sarah replied, straightening up the files they'd been using on the mission table, "I think it's easiest to just say you attended a private, boarding high school. You spent last summer with our parents in San Diego, and you're spending your year off from school working and hanging out with me before you go to Stanford. Make sense?"

"Yeah, works for me. Am I driving to dinner tonight?" Amy knew the answer was likely to be no, but she had only just bought her beautiful new Audi, and she loved it.

"No, we'll pick you up." Sarah glanced at the monitors of the Orange Orange parking lot with a slight smile. "Your A5 is nice, but you can't drive it at any time you might be seen by anyone in Chuck's life, or anyone who knows anyone in Chuck's life. We can provide you with money to buy an appropriate cover car, and to store yours if you like. All set to go? It looks like Chuck and Casey are on their way out."

"Yeah." Amy started up the stairs to head to her new place, muttering about her poor car, having to sit alone in storage. "Agent Walker?"

Sarah turned slowly from the mission table and looked up to meet Amy's shockingly similar blue eyes. . Sarah felt just a quick flash of recognition- she saw a lot of herself as a young agent in those eyes- unsure, headstrong, anxious. And she saw that Amy was more than ready to be a solid supporter for the team. She'd just need some support herself.

"I'm really…I don't want to mess up the rhythm you have with your team, but I'm happy and proud that I got assigned here. If anyone can teach me to be a great agent, it's you and your team."

Sarah smiled- not her true, blinding, Sarah-Walker smile, just a small modest one, but it cheered Amy nonetheless.

"Thank you, Amy. Chuck and I will pick you up in an hour, okay?"

Amy just nodded as she headed out the freezer door.

* * *

Approximately an hour later, Amy sat on the front steps of her new apartment building, waiting for Chuck and Sarah and staring forlornly at her Audi. She felt the setting sun warm her bare shoulders, in a red jewel toned top and jeans. Amy hung her head, her mood on the poor side despite the evening's beauty. She wanted so desperately to be a part of the team, to be accepted. She wanted Chuck to be her friend and Casey to rib her and Sarah to teach her. But she knew she'd have to earn their respect and trust.

An irritating noise suddenly buzzed from down the street. Amy looked up sharply, instantly scanning the street for the source of the offensive sound, and was met with the bright white and orange of a Nerd Herder. Amy realized that the buzz was that of a hybrid engine- something her luxury car loving brain hadn't ever recognized, even at eighteen. She hopped up and smiled at Chuck, crammed into the tiny car, and Sarah, sitting and laughing beside him. She climbed into the backseat. It was still sort of awkward with Sarah- the afternoon had been mostly cold, and it was clear that neither Sarah nor Amy was yet comfortable, but Chuck shot Amy a smile in the rearview that put her a little more at ease.

"Ready to meet the better Bartowski, Amy?" Chuck asked playfully. She saw Sarah nudge him softly across the gearshift.

"If she's any friendlier than you, it might be overwhelming," Amy joked, and Chuck laughed.

"It depends. If you're trying to get me to go for management at the Buy More, you might get Mama Bear Ellie. But just by virtue of being "related" to Sarah, she'll associate that with Sarah and me getting closer, and then you'll be absolutely golden."

Sarah laughed a little at that, and nudged Chuck again, indicating the time.

"Oh, if we're late, Ellie is going to freak her freak. Let's see what this baby can do!"

Amy laughed again as Chuck barely notched up the speed on his little car. Before she knew it, they were pulling up in front of a pretty, gated courtyard. She stepped out and, behind Chuck and Sarah, walked past a fountain that her mission dossiers told her was quite the hot spot for the two superior agents. After a lingering gaze, she stepped shyly behind Sarah as Chuck took a deep breath.

"Are we good to go, Amy?" Sarah asked without even turning her head.

"Yep, sure thing."

Chuck knocked on the door and the answering high-pitched squeal almost made Amy jump out of her skin. The door flew open to reveal Ellie Bartowski.

_'No, Woodcomb, dammit. Get your head on straight, Amy.'_

Ellie was every bit a lookalike to her brother. She was tall and her pretty brunette hair flowed like liquid down her shoulders. Her chocolate eyes warmed at the sight of Chuck and Sarah, clearly as in love as the last time she'd seen them. And then, she saw Amy.

"Hi Chuck…Sarah….who's this?" Amy had never worked a deep cover operation before. So while she was expecting Sarah to act different from when they were working, the exact degree of difference came as a slight surprise.

"Ellie, this is my little sister Amy!" Sarah put her arm around Amy and pulled her in close. "She's taking a year off from school to get some job experience."

Ellie looked with narrowed eyes at the two agents. Amy smiled modestly and held out her hand.

"Hi, I'm Amy. Sarah and Chuck have told me tons about you, even though I only just got into town yesterday. It's really awesome to meet you."  
At the 'A-word', as Ellie sometimes called it, she smiled with an eye roll and pushed past Amy's proffered hand to squeeze the girl in a bone crushing Bartowski-Woodcomb hug.

"Come on in, guys." Ellie led the way into the well-decorated, comfortable apartment. Amy took in the many family photos, the comfortable seating, and the delicious smells coming from the kitchen. Clearly, Ellie was the perfect hostess and homemaker, in addition to the extremely capable doctor Amy knew her to be.

As Ellie ducked into the kitchen to check the meal and find her husband, Chuck turned around and quietly asked Amy how she was doing. She gave him a quick affirmative nod and smiled, just as Dr. Devon Woodcomb walked out from the kitchen, dishtowel slung over his shoulder.

"Hi, Amy! I'm Devon; it's nice to meet you! Any family of Sarah's is a part of ours. Come on in, sit, tell us about yourself. Time to turn this up, personal style."

Amy hesitantly took a seat opposite Sarah and on Devon's right.

"Hm…not sure what you want to know, but…I'm eighteen, and going to Stanford next year." Amy winced appropriately, as everyone around the table snuck a look at Chuck. "I'm taking the year off- I haven't seen Sarah in a long time and I missed her! And I'd also like to get some work experience before I head to school."

"Always a good idea, Amy. Too many people are entering the workforce without knowledge on how to deal with bosses, coworkers, and the public. Not awesome." Amy looked incredulously at Devon's 'surfer boy' exterior and nodded at his incredibly lucid and accurate statement. "Must be pretty cool to have such a great big sister, huh? Funnily enough, Sarah never told us about you."

Amy leaned over to nudge Sarah with a playful smile on her face. "Yeah, Sarah's not very talkative. But she's a great sister." Ellie seemed to glow a little brighter and Chuck winked at her, just as a loud banging sounded from the front door. Amy tensed immediately, and noticed Chuck and Sarah go for their concealed weapons. Ellie and Devon both leapt up and strode to the door. Devon wrenched it open to reveal a small, bearded man, who strutted into the apartment with his arms crossed.

"Ah, so I see it's a regular party without me here. Someone decided to lock the Morgan Door. But that didn't stop the whole gang from showing up," Morgan, who Amy recognized from her dossiers, looked accusingly at each of the occupants of the room in turn as he called them out, "Captain…Ellie, oh who am I kidding, I could never be mad at an angel…Sarah, Chuck….and an unidentified young lady. Good evening!" Morgan said with a cheesy bow.

"Sorry, Morgan, but the Morgan Door will be closed forevermore. It's not really appropriate for you to be able to get into this house, considering I don't live here anymore," Chuck said without a trace of sarcasm.

"And luckily, our apartment is on the second floor," said Sarah to herself.

Amy stood- a few inches taller than Morgan- and offered her hand. "Hi…I'm Amy, Sarah's younger sister." Behind her, she heard Ellie and Awesome murmuring to Chuck and the faintest hint of a sigh from Sarah.

Morgan almost bent to kiss Amy's hand before Sarah leapt up, put an arm around her shoulders, and pulled her away. "Yeah, Morgan, this is my eighteen year old sister, Amy. She's nine years younger than me. And you." Morgan shrugged innocently and plopped down next to Ellie.

"So what's for dinner?"

The rest of the dinner passed amicably. Any questions for Sarah and Amy were answered flawlessly, and Amy found herself truly enjoying the time spent with Chuck's family and friend. Even Morgan's stupid jokes made her laugh, Ellie made her feel comfortable, and she and Devon commiserated over their love of action sports. He promised to take her windsurfing as a bonding activity, and she promised to try and get Sarah involved. When the end of the night came, Amy was sad to leave this makeshift family behind. But she accepted Ellie's hug, Awesome's high-five, and shied away from any physical contact with Morgan. She, Sarah, and Chuck tumbled into the Herder and rode off, towards L.A and her apartment.

When they dropped her off, Sarah and Chuck commended her on a job well done.

"Your cover is really believable, well done, Agent Taylor." Sarah seemed to be truly complimenting the young agent's work.

"Thanks. You can call me Amy, by the way. I'm probably more used to that- hearing 'Agent' in front of my name is pretty new."

Chuck laughed. "You and me both, Amy. Remember, you have a briefing at the Orange Orange at 9:00 tomorrow. Beckman sort of hates it when people are late."

Amy thanked Chuck for the reminder and watched the two drive off.

* * *

Thanks for reading! Guess what- next chapter might just have a bit of action! Maybe even a mission? What do you think? Review!


	4. Chapter 4

I know, a new oneshot and a chapter update all in one day! I'm on a roll!

* * *

As the sun rose over California, Amy lay awake in her new apartment. Anxiety over her first real mission briefing made her tense. She could feel excess energy humming in her muscles and bones.

Amy heaved a sigh. She would get no more sleep tonight.

Once decided, she rose quickly and changed into her normal workout clothes. Amy, being a nonviolent person, which she realized was a direct contradiction to her chosen profession, usually ran or did calisthenics in the morning rather than kickboxing and beating on the heavy bag. This morning, however, she felt an unfamiliar wave of aggression thrill through her, and chose to pull on her new gloves and work out on the bag instead. Amy felt the unfamiliar tingle of different muscles being worked than when she normally ran. She moved quickly as she took out all her anxiety and nerves on the bag, but not quickly enough to block the stray thoughts that raced through her head.

As she whirled around with the grace of a dancer, she tried to drown out the thoughts of her family, her last mission as a junior operative, her tense working relationship with the rest of her new team, and her upcoming briefing with the general, the highest ranking official Amy had ever spoken to. With every punch, she forced her worries into the back of her mind. Her job was to perform, to accomplish missions, to fit into the team. Her personal feelings about it were not important. Finally, after an intense and lengthy workout, Amy, sweating and breathing raggedly, came to rest.

* * *

At 9:00 AM exactly, the monitors in Castle clicked on. Their light bounced off the shiny reflective surfaces all around the room and played across Amy's smirking face. Only two days into her assignment and she'd already picked up Colonel Casey's smug sense of humor.

"Good morning, General."

"Hmph," the General muttered, always the charmer. "How did the cover reinforcement mission go last night?"

"I feel it proceeded as planned, General. I met Agent Bartowski's sister, brother-in-law, and best friend, and I feel that they all believe my cover. Both Agents Walker and Bartowski commended my work."

The General arched her considerable eyebrow at that, and harrumphed. "I'm sure they did, Agent Taylor. Have you made plans yet to begin your training? It's of the utmost important that you are trained as quickly as possible to help the team on missions."

"Yes, General," Amy said quickly, "Colonel Casey and I are going to the shooting range later today to practice marksmanship, after he 'educates me on the armory, the various weapons it holds, and the proper care of each and every weapon'. And that's a direct quote from the Colonel."

The General smirked a bit- 'Score one for the new girl!' thought Amy-and quirked her eyebrows upward.

"Is that the team now?" Amy looked up at the metal stairs, where Chuck was planning to jump into the General's view and now had a crestfallen look on his face, Sarah was shaking her head with a small grin, and Casey came in looking ready to strangle.

"It's us, General!" Chuck launched himself off the stairs and landed next to Amy at the head of the table. Amy laughed out loud, Sarah clearly had to swallow hers back, and Casey and the General both grimaced. Amy and Chuck moved and sat on the left side of the table while Sarah and Casey took their seats.

"Can it, Bartowski."

"Good morning, Colonel Casey." Casey stood up just the slightest bit straighter. "I'm sure you're thrilled you'll finally be able to discharge your weapon for once at the range today?"

Amy heard a snort beside her and looked to see Chuck, red in the face from trying not to laugh. Ah. The innuendo. She rolled her eyes and caught Sarah doing the same. In a rare moment, the two women shared a look.

Casey grinned at the General and nodded in the affirmative, as Chuck snorted again and the General shot him a truly evil look.

"Then you'll also be pleased that you have a mission tonight. I'll brief Bartowski and Walker, and they can brief you when you return from the range. Dismissed."

As Casey and Amy left the room, General Beckman turned on her computer monitor to face Chuck and Sarah.

"Agents Bartowski and Walker, I'll need about an hour or so to finish preparing the mission dossier. Please finish writing your mission reports from the Barnes and Noble bomb scare until I can send you the dossier and brief you on the mission."

* * *

Amy had only held a gun once or twice in her life. Both times, she had been surprised by the weight. On TV, and in real life when she faced down armed operatives, they swung the things around like feathers, but both times she had disarmed an agent and hefted the gun in her hands, she'd been taken aback at the very real weight in her hands. So, Amy, after learning to clean, assemble, disassemble, and safely holster her weapon under Casey's watchful eye, felt slightly self conscious as she lined up her shot in the small booth at the range.

"Your stance is off."

Amy glanced behind her at Casey's analytical stare, currently being directed at her ankles.

"Your toes should be pointed in the direction of the target." Casey made a move as if to correct her, but she had already moved. Amy prided herself on being a quick learner. She sighted the black and white silhouette and, tensing for the recoil, pulled the trigger. The gun jumped in her hand and she nearly dropped it, but the sharp little hole in the paper was quite close to her target. She allowed herself a moment to adjust her yellow protective glasses and almost grinned at Casey, and then remembered- she was about to grin at Casey. She heard a slight grunt, and according to the list Chuck had jokingly showed her, it seemed to be number 17, disbelief colored with pride. She gave him a chance to correct her before she lined up her shot again, but this time, Casey was silent.

A bit more confident, Amy squeezed off three shots in a row without stopping. The recoil this time was a bit more forceful, and her arm was jarred out of the straight line she held it in. She looked up- all three holes were off the target, on the white paper surrounding the body. Casey grunted, this time it sounded like number 25, ("that's more like it") and hit the switch to bring up a new target. She had some work to do.

* * *

Chuck was by no means the most subtle man on the planet. So Sarah, not only being an observant person by nature but also an extraordinarily gifted spy, caught every single one of the quick glances he tossed at her. She tried to ignore it, knowing that Chuck, being a generally verbose person, would eventually just tell her what was bothering him, but she couldn't get her work done with him staring at her.

"Chuck, if you want to memorize my face, I can give you a picture." Sarah said teasingly, and Chuck nervously laughed in response.

"No, I'm just…curious. As to how you're feeling about Amy." Sarah looked up at him sharply. "I just mean, that it's a big responsibility to have to mentor someone."

"You're right, Chuck, it is. I never had a mentor," Sarah said, almost wistfully. "I can't imagine being a spy at thirteen. I thought I entered the agency too young when I was eighteen. I'm sure she's seen things that no child should ever have to see."

Sarah bit her lip and turned back to her paperwork. She and Chuck needed to memorize their covers for the night's mission.

"Are you okay with this?" Chuck asked, prodding just a little further.

"Does it matter? It's an order, its part of the mission."

"It matters to me," Chuck said softly, and Sarah looked up to meet his eyes. "I've gathered that you had a bit of a rough childhood. And I know that you're hesitant with people. But Sarah, I think this girl really looks up to you. Are you okay with mentoring her?"

Sarah hesitated. Casey had brought this up, which she could ignore, but she could not ignore Chuck. Was she okay with mentoring Amy? The girl reminded Sarah quite a bit of herself at that age- eager to please, efficient, and it was hard to have a living, breathing reminder of herself at that hard time in her life. But then she thought about Chuck, and his first few forays into the spy world. She had been proud of his accomplishments. At the time she had found it weird to take satisfaction in another's achievements, but after awhile, she had realized she was proud because she had helped him along. And she thought about the difficulty of the missions Amy would accompany them on, especially ones like tonight. This mission would almost be a cruel introduction the life Amy had chosen. No one was prepared for these kinds of missions.

"Yeah, Chuck. I want to help her. No one helped me, and I had no family to turn to. Young agents deserve someone to talk to, someone who's been through it."

For the first time since Amy had arrived, Sarah saw Chuck truly smile.

They went back to silently pretending to work on the mission report after their brief conversation. In truth, Casey had already finished most of it, and they had just touched it up after he left for the range, and Sarah had already finished what little work they'd had recently. What they were really doing was playing Hangman, one of the few games Sarah would consent to play when they really should be working. At the distinct tone of General Beckman popping back onscreen, Sarah hastily hid the game and stood to face the monitor.

"Agents Bartowski and Walker," Beckman said with the distinct air of catching a child in wrongdoing, "I'm afraid the mission for tonight rather revolves around Agent Taylor, and it is not pleasant. Last week, Chuck flashed on a photo in the daily report of Diego Martín, a notorious trafficker of underage girls."

"Wait," Chuck said, "As in, an underage prostitution ring? You want Amy to pose as a sex slave?" Sarah shot a look at Chuck, warning him not to protest. It was a mission that had to be done.

"No, Agent Bartowski. Because we know that Martín has a…taste for underage girls, Amy will attempt to get close to him at a party he is attending this evening. It's a seduction mission with the added distaste of Agent Taylor being a minor."

"General Beckman," Sarah started nervously, "Agent Taylor hasn't yet been trained in seduction."

"I'll call Colonel Casey. He can bring her back in and you can give her a crash course. She only really needs to know the basics for tonight's mission. She simply has to get him to a private place and then give him knockout spray. We have enough evidence to arrest him and when we get him back to Castle Colonel Casey can interrogate him for information about the next drop of underage girls."

"But General," Chuck protested, "If we have enough evidence to arrest him, why can't we just show up at the party and arrest him there? Why expose Agent Taylor?"

"Obviously, we'd rather Agent Taylor, being untrained and unexposed to this sort of mission, not have to seduce Martín, but he is an extremely well connected man, who prides himself on his own personal security. He is constantly surrounded by bodyguards and if he gets at all suspicious of any government activity near him, he'll bolt. All we need is to get him alone and then subdue him long enough to get him to a secure facility. There will be no more discussion, I'll call Casey, and when they get back, Agent Walker, you'll need to give Amy a quick lesson in seduction." General Beckman arched her eyebrow. "Use Agent Bartowski as a subject if necessary."

At that, she blinked off the screen, and Chuck and Sarah stared at each other, mouths agape, anxious over what was about to transpire.

* * *

Over a few hours at the range, Amy had improved to the point where Casey had deemed her able to carry a gun at all times. She could dismantle and piece together the weapon with fluidity and speed, and knew how to carry it on her person safely. Her aim could use more practice, and obviously they'd spend a lot more time at the range with different types of weapons and increasing her accuracy, but for now, her simple knowledge of the handgun she had would do. Taylor had just finished a particularly good target, where all of her bullets were within inches of crucial life points, when Casey's cell phone rang.

"Casey, secure."

"We're making good progress. Agent Taylor has full command of her weapon, and needs only more practice to improve her marksmanship."

"Special skills for the mission?"

A small look of panic crossed Casey's face before he quickly schooled his features.

"Yes, General, we'll be there ASAP."

He turned to face Amy with a carefully blank look on his face. He felt pity and unease, but was careful to play it down in front of Taylor.

"We've got to get back to Castle. You've got to learn seduction…by tonight."

* * *

I know, I know, I promised a mission. But the chapter was getting long, and I want to give the mission the full chapter it deserves. Thoughts?


	5. Chapter 5

Casey and Amy walked into Castle. It was only Amy's dedication to make herself an important part of the team that kept her moving towards Chuck and Sarah, and not running in the opposite direction. Casey grunted to alert the two of them to their presence, and they looked up anxiously.

"Seduction, Walker? She's only eighteen." Amy looked up curiously- from what she'd read in his mission reports, Casey had never shown any indication of protecting people from scary or dangerous missions.

"Jumping to conclusions again, Casey?" Chuck said, "Sarah and I tried to avoid it. The mark is a sex trafficker. All she has to do is get him alone and give him knockout spray."

Sarah clicked the mission console's keyboard, bringing up Martín's picture on the screen. "Diego Martín is attending a party tonight at Emperor's Ballroom. Our intel shows that he'll be surrounded by a detail of at least three bodyguards, but there are private rooms in the mansion. Amy will go into the party, seduce Martín, and accompany him to a private room, where she will give him knockout spray. We'll come in and extract the both of you."

"But, Sarah," Amy said, "I've never been trained in seduction. I can bat my eyelashes okay, but that's about it." Chuck and Sarah looked hesitatingly towards each other.

"That's why we're giving you a crash course."

Casey looked from Chuck to Sarah, back to Amy, and then back to Chuck and Sarah. "We're? As in, the nerd is participating?"

Chuck smirked, and said in a nauseating tone, "Yep. The general gave Sarah permission to…demonstrate on me, if you will."

"Oh, god, I think I'm going to vomit. Can I leave now?" Chuck and Sarah tried to contain a laugh, but Amy just continued to look nervous.

"Casey," Chuck admonished, "Are you shirking your duty of preparing Agent Taylor for her mission? Hmm..."

"Come on, Chuck, don't tease him. Casey, you can go get to work on figuring out a way to get Amy into the party while we get to work. Might be difficult because of her age, so-"

"Please. I've got this. Go show off your lady feelings."

With that, Sarah took off for one of the more private workrooms in Castle, with Chuck hot on her tail.

Amy looked at Casey, who shrugged and grunted, as if to say, 'I usually say never leave a man behind. But I wouldn't submit myself to that torture for ANYONE. Have fun with it.'

Sighing apprehensively, Amy made her way into the room and sat across from Sarah and Chuck.

"Okay, Amy, this is going to be awkward, so just try and ignore it as much as possible, okay?"

"I'll be alright, Sarah. It's fine. Anything for the mission." Sarah arched an eyebrow at that, but continued.

"The most important thing that you have to know about seduction is that it's easier to use the promise of sex to get what you want than actual sex itself. With this mission in particular, we will all do every single thing in our power to avoid you having to have sex with your mark. As soon as you are alone with him, we'll be there. But getting him alone is the tricky part."

"An important bit of seduction," Chuck continued, drawing on his lessons with the famed Roan Montgomery, "is to work the room. Everyone in the room should be looking at you when you enter."

"But," Sarah said, cutting in, "You also don't want to make a scene. Looking good will cause all the males to notice you, but being conspicuous will make everyone else suspicious. I find the best way to do it is to take a seat at the bar, make eye contact with your mark, and then look away quickly."

"Try and blush a little, too. We guys like to think we're making the ladies blush," Chuck joked, winking at Sarah, who smiled and wacked him in the arm. Amy noticed that it was a behavior very similar to Ellie's with Devon.

"Anyway…if you can make eye contact with him, it'll let him know you're interested. Now, he can't buy you an alcoholic drink. This is important because it clues your mark into your age, which in this mission, is crucial. When sitting at the bar, be sure to order something nonalcoholic but that looks like a drink. Coke with ice, water with mint to look like a mojito, you get the drift. When he approaches you to buy a refill, and says, for example, 'Give the lady another rum and Coke', tell him it's just Coke, because you're underage. If our intel on him is right, he'll be tempted."

Both Amy and Chuck made disgusted faces. Personally, Sarah agreed. This mission was distasteful, even for the CIA. But they had to be professional.

"Once he gets you a refill, you just have to keep up the witty banter. Crucial bits for this specific mission: don't mention your age difference. He knows you're too young, but if you point it out, it's a turn off."

"Okay, so how do I go from witty banter at the bar where he's surrounded by a security detail to alone in a hotel room where I can knock him out?"

"Now, this is important. If you suggest going up to the room to him, he'll know you're trying to get him alone. He's a highly, highly suspicious man. Wait for him to suggest it to you."

"I think that about covers everything you'll need to know for tonight. We can do more detailed seduction training at a later time, but let's see what Casey came up with to get you into the party."

Together, the three walked out into Castle's main room, where Casey was standing at a government issue printer, watching as a driver's license and passport slowly inched out of the machine.

"Ah, there you are, Amy Smith. You're turning eighteen tonight. Your father is Carter Smith, a diplomat who makes big-time money by shipping jobs over to India. He was invited to the Emperor's Ballroom tonight, but because he was busy, you get to go instead. "

"That's pretty simple. That's really my whole cover?" Amy was confused- at the academy, they'd always had to make sure their covers were iron-clad, but this was flimsy at best.

"Amy, we're working on a tight deadline, and all you're trying to do is get someone into bed. He won't need your high school GPA or birth certificate."

"Got it. When do we leave?"

* * *

"Okay, Amy," Sarah spoke into her mouthpiece. "Casey is tending bar, and Chuck and I are in a maintenance closet on the same floor as your room. As soon as you're alone in the room with him, say the code phrase, and subdue him. We'll come pick you up. Wait about ten minutes, and then enter the grand ballroom. Everyone clear?"

"Yes, ma'am," Chuck responded with a smart salute. Casey just grunted, and Amy murmured a shaky positive.

"Do you think she'll be okay, Sarah?" Chuck asked, once their mouthpieces were muted. He continued to watch the video being fed to them by Amy's hairclip, but occasionally glanced over at Sarah, who looked more tense than she had on any of their own missions.

"She'll be fine, Chuck." The knuckles on the hand Sarah used to grip her gun were white.

"Are you okay?" Chuck murmured softly, not taking his eyes from the monitor. Sarah ripped her eyes from the video feed and looked at him suspiciously.

"Yes, Chuck. Why wouldn't I be?" She turned away from him and he arched an eyebrow at her profile.

"You just seem tense. I think you're starting to like Amy and you don't want her to have to do this."

"Maybe you're right, Chuck," Sarah sighed, "But we have to concentrate on the mission." Before he could reply, Sarah turned away and said into her mouthpiece, "Okay, Amy, you have the green light. Proceed into the ballroom."

Slowly, the image of the video feed changed from the dark outer gardens to the well lit, cheery atmosphere of the party within.

Amy, taking her cue from Sarah, walked in with a confidence she was sure she didn't truly possess, feeling her silky red dress slide over her legs as her pumps made an alarmingly loud clack-clack sound as she crossed the marble floor. It would have been impossible to count the number of heads that turned in her direction. As she fluidly made her way down the stairs, she saw quite a few receding hairlines, many flashing pairs of glasses, and the occasional smirk or scowl from a woman. It wasn't until she had gotten halfway to the bar that she saw the mark. Diego Martín was a walking stereotype; he wore a black shirt, unbuttoned to a level that was disgraceful, a white suit jacket, white pants and white shoes, and a thick gold chain was wound around his neck and down into his considerable chest hair. He was wearing sunglasses inside. Just looking at him made Amy want to vomit.

Upstairs, waiting and watching, both Chuck and Sarah responded to their first view of Martín with the same word. Together, they both said, "Yuck."

Casey cleared his throat as Amy approached the bar.

"How are you this evening, miss?" He asked with a nod in her direction as she sat.

"I'm lovely, thank you," she mumbled. He placed a water glass sharply in front of her, causing her to look straight up into his eyes. Casey winked and nodded again. Amy felt a surge of confidence and sat up straighter.

"What can I get for you tonight?"

Remembering their discussion from earlier in the day, Amy ordered a sparkling cider in a champagne flute.

Turning slowly on her bar stool, Amy crossed her legs seductively and sipped at her drink. She batted her eyelashes at a few men, but finally settled on Martín, watching him over the rim of her flute. Every time he glanced up, she turned quickly, trying to pique his interest. Finally, after glancing back and forth for about ten minutes, Amy felt a large presence behind her, and smelled the disgusting aftershave of someone trying to cover up his bad hygiene.

"Hello," Martín purred behind her. She could feel his hot breath, smelling of the liquor he'd been drinking all evening, on the back of her neck. Her hair stood up on end. "A champagne for myself and another one for the lady, please. What are we celebrating?" Some of his words were slightly slurred, and his heavy accent did nothing for the clarity of his words. Amy repressed a shudder and turned around.

"Actually," Amy said, shaking her head at Casey's proffered glass, "It's a sparkling cider. And I'm celebrating my eighteenth birthday."

Martín's eyebrows shot up in surprise, but he covered it smoothly, motioning for Casey to refill Amy's glass with the correct drink.

"Really? You don't look a day younger than twenty two, my dear." Amy let out a tinkling little laugh.

"Well perhaps we can convince the bartender here of that and champagne may work." Casey grinned a smarmy grin and shook his head.

"I'm sorry, miss."

"Ah, too bad, Miss…" Martín looked at her questioningly.

"Smith. But please, call me Amy. And you are?"

"Diego Martín. And what is a lovely young woman doing by herself here at such an important event and not with friends, celebrating a milestone birthday?"

"Well," Amy said, pulling on specific details over her cover story to make it believable, "My father is a…generous donator to the Emperor's Ballroom, so he was offered an invitation. He was busy, and because I was dragged on his business trip without any of my friends, he said I could come in his place and do something halfway fun on my birthday."

"Tsk tsk. That is a shame, to be so…" Martín's eyes trailed from her feet to her chest and back down again, "Lonely. On your birthday."

Hating herself, Amy leaned forward, giving him a clearer view of her cleavage. "Oh, I doubt I'll be alone all night."

"Well, why not start enjoying someone else's company now? Why don't you accompany me to my room?"

Amy stood smoothly and held out her arm for Martín to take. "I'd love to."

* * *

Upstairs in the closet, Chuck and Sarah had been swallowing back protests and gag reflexes throughout the entire conversation. To subject anyone to having to seduce this cliché of a man was terrible, but to put a fresh from the Farm agent on this mission was vile. Sarah gritted her teeth every time Martín's eyes traveled up and down Amy's body, and Chuck had turned away after making sure there was nothing else to flash on.

"Sarah, she'll be fine. You trained her in seduction, and you're the best."

She looked at him out of the corner of her eye, and Chuck looked at her like he was afraid of her. Sarah looked down at herself. She was on the edge of her seat, her fists clenched, her eyes dry from staring at the monitors without blinking.

"Sarah!"

"What, Chuck?" Sarah cried in frustration. She needed to concentrate on the mission, she needed to protect Amy.

"We're doing surveillance. We'll break her cover if we go down there. She'll be fine, and your hands are shaking. You have to calm down."

"I can't help it, Chuck…I just, I don't know, she reminds me of, of me when I was her age. But I never had to seduce anyone at eighteen, and it certainly wasn't my first mission." Sarah looked forlornly at the monitor. It simply wasn't fair. After this mission she would talk to Beckman about giving Amy a break from seduction missions in the future until she was better trained and had the emotional aptitude to deal with them. Seduction missions left a mark on you that no scar from a bullet or knife could compare to.

Chuck moved closer to her and took her hand in his.

"I know, Sarah. But she'll be okay. And if not, we'll save her, like you guys always used to save me. We're Team Bartowski, remember? We'll all be fine."

* * *

Amy and Martín walked together out the back entrance of the ballroom. They walked right past the elevators, and made small talk as they strolled down the richly carpeted hallway. Soon, though, the carpeting was gone, as was the buttery cream paint from the walls, and Amy began to get suspicious. It was only when she saw the door to the underground parking structure that she realized what had happened. She'd been made.

"Amy, I think you've been made! You need to get out of there, now!" Sarah's voice rang in her ear, but Martín's grip on her arm had changed from gentle guiding to a vice like grasp. She couldn't move at all.

"Is your room on this floor, Diego? I thought all the guest rooms were upstairs?"

"Stop playing dumb, little Miss CIA. I know you're an agent." As he looked down at her again, he leered at her chest. "Doesn't stop you from being muy caliente, though. Perhaps before I get a ransom for you, we can enjoy a little recreation."

Amy tried to jerk her arm away, but they had reached the door to the garage. He yanked it open and shoved her in, and on her stiletto heels, she could do nothing but fall onto the pavement in front of two very, very large men.

She tried to reach for her gun that she had only started carrying today, but they were much too fast. Before she could even register movement, she was pulled to her feet, each man holding one arm, while Martín pointed a gun at her head.

"Get her earwig." His accent was still thick but the slur was gone from his voice. She'd been made early in their conversation. So much for her seduction skills. One of the ugly henchmen ripped her earpiece out of her ear, and tossed it to Martín.

"Agents, Colonel, you've been made. I suggest you get down to the parking garage with 10 million dollars, or you can kiss your baby agent goodbye."

* * *

Chuck and Sarah were watching the video feeds with increasing worry as Amy was led somewhere that was clearly not a private room.

"Sarah, I think Martín knows. Amy's in trouble!" Chuck said.

Sarah, whose nerves were already wound much too tight, barked into her mouthpiece, "Amy, I think you've been made! You need to get out of there, now!"

She heard Amy try to continue her cover, but at that point, Sarah knew it was useless. They heard Martín make a reference to recreation, and Sarah let out a snarl. Chuck had never seen her so angry, and almost scared. The video view became grainy as Amy was thrown through a door.

"We've got to go, now," Chuck said, as he leapt to his feet.

"Just wait, Chuck. One more second, we can't get to her now even if we ran."

All of a sudden, Martín's voice came over their earwigs loud and clear.

"Agents, Colonel, you've been made. I suggest you get down to the parking garage with 10 million dollars, or you can kiss your baby agent goodbye."

* * *

Casey heard Martín threaten Amy's life. He took one more second to finish refilling a customer's gin and tonic before dashing out from behind the bar.

"I'm gonna kill the disgusting jerk."

* * *

After delivering his message to Amy's team, Martín threw the earwig to the ground and stamped it under his heel. The last thing Amy saw was Martín snapping his fingers, before something hit her hard on the back of the head, and everything went black.


End file.
